NBC Sports Involving Orel Hershiser for Opening Day Game

Opening Day for the Los Angeles Dodgers has them hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks in a game that carries further significance as it's part of NBCUniversal's return to MLB.

The network was among new MLB media rights agreements that go into effect with the start of the 2026 season. The deals also involved Netflix and ESPN.

NBC Sports announced their Opening Day broadcasting plans, which includes Jason Benetti handling play-by-play duties, and Orel Hershiser and Luis Gonzalez also being part of the booth.

Gonzalez and Hershiser make for natural choices to help Benetti call the game given respective ties to the Diamondbacks and Dodgers.

Gonzalez spent eight of his 19 seasons with the Diamondbacks, which included delivering a walk-off hit in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.

Hershiser was with the Dodgers for 13 of 18 seasons at the Major League level. Career highlights include winning the World Series in 1988, when Hershiser also was voted the National League Cy Young Award winner and earned a Gold Glove.

That season saw the right-hander lead all pitchers with 23 wins and Hershiser set an MLB record with a streak of 59 consecutive scoreless innings. He continued to dominate in the postseason en route to earning MVP honors in the NLC hampionship Series and World Series.

Hershiser is entering his 13th season as an analyst for SportsNet LA. So too are John Hartung, Nomar Garciaparra and Jerry Hairston Jr. Joe Davis and Hershiser are heading into their 11th season together as the primary voices of Dodgers baseball on SportsNet LA.

Clayton Kershaw hired as analyst

NBC Sports recently announced the hires of Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo and Joey Votto as studio analysts for their MLB coverage.

Kershaw is going to join host Bob Costas for a pregame show live from Dodger Stadium on March 26. The Dodgers plan to raise their 2025 World Series banner that night and are holding a ring ceremony the next day.

NBC's return to MLB games technically begins with the Pittsburgh Pirates facing the New York Mets at Citi Field. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. PT, and the game will be available via NBC and Peacock.

The Diamondbacks and Dodgers then are going to be the only primetime game on Opening Day, beginning at 5:30 p.m. NBC's pregame show with Costas and Kershaw is scheduled to start 30 minutes prior to first pitch.

MLB and NBCUniversal previously had a broadcasting partnership from 1947-89 and again during the 1994-2000 seasons. The new media rights deal will see MLB games carried by NBC, NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) and online stream via Peacock.